Gain-dependent polarization properties of vertical-cavity lasers
Date
1995
Authors
Choquette, Kent D., author
Lear, Kevin L., author
Schneider, Richard P., author
Leibenguth, Ronald E., author
IEEE, publisher
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Abstract
We show that the partitioning of power into the two orthogonal eigen polarizations of infra-red gain-guided vertical-cavity lasers depends upon the relative spectral overlap of the nondegenerate polarization cavity resonances with the laser gain spectrum. Furthermore, at the condition where the polarization resonances and the peak laser gain are aligned, abrupt switching of power between the eigen polarizations is observed as the gain sweeps through the polarization resonances. The gain-dependence of the polarization requires spectral splitting between the eigen polarizations, which is found to be strongly influenced by local strain. The polarization of the fundamental and higher-order spatial modes can be selected and maintained for all InGaAs vertical-cavity lasers in a wafer simply by employing a 20 nm or greater blue-shift offset of the peak laser gain relative to the cavity resonances.
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Subject
III-V semiconductors
gallium arsenide
indium compounds
laser beams
laser cavity resonators
laser modes
molecular beam epitaxial growth
optical fabrication
quantum well lasers
surface emitting lasers